58 miles: The hub that caters for travelers on the Lethem trail

Mar 23, 2015 News

By Rabindra Rooplall

Nestled neatly on the Lethem trail is the small village of “58Miles” that has almost 200 residents who enjoy the serenity and tranquility of nature while being a part of a developing community.
For travelers on the trail the popular spot which is a hub of activity is at 58-Mile, Mabura, where a Guyoil gas station is perched within the endless terrain. This is where many travelers find a hot meal and a variety of beverages at a restaurant operated by an enterprising couple, Peter and Ruth Rajmangal, and their four children. Their main source of electricity is from a generator. The relaxing atmosphere caters for a variety of travelers that includes miners, tourists, traders, farmers and the adventurous.
The business spot opens at 07:00 hours and closes at midnight and anyone passing through, is guaranteed a meal and on many occasions it is said that Ruth and her husband assist the ill and injured with transportation free of charge, depending on the situation.

The booming hub at 58-Mile, Mabura, Region 10

The Rajmangals started in 1997 with two coolers packed with ice to keep the temperature of the beverages below zero for the thirsty, and a glass case with pastries neatly fitted under a shed alongside the dusty trail at 58 Miles, Mabura.
Travelers to the interior would buy something to drink and munch along the way. The restaurant’s specialty seemed to be well-cooked wild meats and various creole dishes. The business has now become a one-stop-shop providing goods and services to everyone.
The snackette was set up after Peter and Ruth decided to move from Mahdia, a community more than 50 miles away from where they now are.
At Mahdia, they operated a small cook shop for six years, but decided to move after the building they were renting was sold and the new owner was not too keen on allowing them to continue operating there.
The alternative was to buy a place there. However, none was suitable enough for their kind of business, so Ruth decided that she would return to her home village to make a new start.
The business began paying off and made way for expansion. It was developed into a proper restaurant where people could dine, and was popularly known as the place where you could get a variety of items to tempt the taste buds. They also cater for vegetarians with separate preparations.
Word began spreading from one tourist to the next about the restaurant with the tasty Guyanese cuisine.
Additionally, the couple provides accommodation in a huge benab outside their restaurant, also free, for those who may want to rest before continuing the arduous journey along the trail.
However, there has been over-hunting in the area which has stymied a regular supply of various wild and exotic meats.
Peter hails from Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara. He met Ruth in 1978 after leaving the coastland to work in the gold fields at Great Falls, Region Ten. They got married, settled in the area and raised four children.
The families living in the area are all related and work together to maintain the small village. In 58 Miles there is a primary school, a health centre, church and playground. Some residents said there is however need for installation of a well, since many residents have to walk an arduous journey to the creeks to obtain water.
Daily traffic flow consists mainly of the Route 72 minibuses, which go to Mahdia and it would be unusual for passengers not to stop and buy a meal.
Recently, the Linden/Lethem roadway was resurfaced reducing travel time from 13-plus hours to seven hours. An estimated 276 miles of roadway was upgraded under a joint project spearheaded by government.
There has also been increase in traffic between Guyana and Brazil through the Linden/Lethem carriageway.